Position Shift Could be Coming for Bills' Former Third-Round Pick

Following an uninspiring rookie campaign that ended in injury, something needs to change for Landon Jackson.

If the Buffalo Bills’ 2025 third-round pick hopes to stick around with the team that drafted him, his production must increase in his second professional season. One factor that may help Jackson experience an uptick in performance is the transition to first-year defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s multiple-front defense, which could better suit the 23-year-old.

Jackson was drafted to help improve Buffalo’s pass rush. But, after struggling to display what the team was hoping for out of him during his first professional season, there’s a chance the Bills may play into the 6-foot-6, 264-pound defender’s potential as an interior run stuffer as they shift into Leonhard’s new defense.

Outside opinion

Rochester, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end Landon Jackson (94) warms up during training camp at St. John Fisher University. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

That’s the view expressed by The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia, who pointed out that of the Bills’ players deemed defensive ends in 2025, Jackson is the only one who has not been switched to being listed as an outside linebacker on the team’s official roster after it was revealed Buffalo would change its defensive alignment under Leonhard.

“He wasn’t much of a factor as an edge rusher as a rookie during training camp and in limited opportunities during the season,” wrote Buscaglia. “However, in terms of holding his ground and defending the run, those were sterling areas of his scouting report coming out of Arkansas.”

Jackson was among a wave of selections to aid the defensive trenches a year ago, which included second-round defensive tackle T.J. Sanders and fourth-round DT Deone Walker. Walker enjoyed a productive rookie season, but the team is still waiting to see a return on its investment in both Sanders and Jackson.

His rookie year

Jackson appeared in just three games for the Bills before a knee injury ended his season following a Week 10 loss to the Miami Dolphins. During his first professional campaign, he was on the field for just 16% of the Bills’ defensive snaps and just 18% of the team’s snaps on special teams.

If he is to find a spot as a meaningful contributor next season, he will not only have to beat out those already on the roster, but also contend with players whom Buffalo is set to bring in through the NFL Draft. The Bills have been linked to various names along the defensive line, including Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell, along with Auburn’s Keldric Faulk.

Along with Walker and Sanders, Ed Oliver returns as the team’s top interior defensive lineman, while Greg Rousseau is back as the team’s leading pass rusher from a year ago. Additionally, the Bills brought in free-agent EDGE Bradley Chubb. Jackson played 28 of his 30 defensive snaps on the edge a year ago, while two of them came inside at a defensive tackle alignment, according to Next Gen Stats.

It isn’t the same situation as the one that Jackson entered last season. If he is going to stick around, he is going to have to earn his spot, which may shift a bit more inside as the Bills move forward with their new 3-4 base defense.

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